The present invention generally relates to paperboard pallets for supporting loads and, more particularly, to the paperboard runners used in the making of such paperboard pallets. Advantageously, as a result of the present invention, an improved paperboard load-supporting pallet is provided which is inexpensive, disposable, recyclable, and has substantially increased structural rigidity and strength for heavy loads.
In the past, various types of constructions have been developed for making disposable pallets. Typically, such pallets have included paperboard material, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,834, and include a load-supporting deck and a plurality of legs disposed under the deck. Other examples of disposable pallets include U.S. Pat. No. 2,444,183; U.S. Pat. No. 2,503,240; U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,860; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,228. In addition, such prior art pallets employ various types of structural arrangements for the supporting legs or runners for the decks of the pallet. However, such disposable pallets have not found wide industry acceptance as substitutes for the more commonly-used wooden pallets, because of various drawbacks.
For example, it has been found that such prior art arrangements do not have the necessary structural rigidity, strength, and durability required by pallets to support heavy loads. Also, various problems have been experienced in the manufacture of such pallets, and the manufacturing costs have been higher than expected, so that such pallet constructions have not been inexpensive enough to make it economically feasible for such pallets to be disposable. Also, although paperboard material has been used in parts of the pallet construction, materials other than paperboard have also been employed in combination with the paperboard. As a result, the costs of material have been high, and the use of different types of materials has increased the manufacturing costs of the pallet.
Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved paperboard load-supporting pallet which overcomes one or more of the aforesaid drawbacks. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide an improved paperboard load-supporting pallet which is inexpensive, disposable, recyclable, durable, structurally rigid, and a method of making same.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a load-supporting pallet having runners of improved construction which have a specific geometrical relationship and grain direction which improves their strength, rigidity and durability.